


Chimneys

by PwoperNinjaElf



Category: Muse
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Belldom - Freeform, First Love, First Time, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-04
Updated: 2013-06-06
Packaged: 2017-12-13 23:16:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/829982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PwoperNinjaElf/pseuds/PwoperNinjaElf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dominic James Howard is the middle child to an upper class Victorian family and is spending the summer at the family's country estate, while his siblings are off fulfilling their parents' dreams for them. The spare, he's always been desperate for acknowledgement, when along it comes after a day's relaxing is interrupted by the new chimney sweep..</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Another WIP!! I have too many I swear... this is another attempt at a time piece... Victorian-ish era I'd say, eh? Anyways I hope you enjoy!!

Dominic James Howard always felt like he was a part of the furniture, always shifted to the background.  
  
Edward, his older brother, was his father's precious heir and perfect son and Lucy, his younger sister and parents' pride and joy, was his mother's constant fixation; always commanding everyone's attention no matter the room or situation. Then there was Dominic.  
  
He had the same thick golden-blonde hair as his mother and sister and his family's trademark grey-green eyes. He'd gone to all the top schools, having attended first Eton and then Oxford like all the men in his family. He was a hard worker, yet never top of his classes. He was handsome, yet compared to his brother's future prospects was always overlooked. He was fairly athletic, taking up both rowing and polo, yet found no true passion for either.  
  
Dominic was a man confused and unsatisfied. At 22 he was yet to find a future bride or for that matter even consider the possibility. It wasn't that he didn't like the thought of marriage, just that he hadn't the true need for it. His parents couldn't care less either way, it was up to his other two siblings to continue the family legacy. Dominic was merely the spare child. The extra.  
  
And, anyway, if he was truly honest, Dominic far preferred the company of gentlemen. A little secret he had no intention (or death wish) of sharing with the other Howards.  
  
So now, here he found himself wondering the halls of his family's country manor. His studies finished and with no need to actually work, or any interest in a particular field of work, he could afford to merely just mope about the place. The only Howard in residence, as his Father was off teaching Edward the family's business in Germany and his mother and sister were both at their London manor, fussing over Lucy's first spring as a woman in society, he had no one to get in his way or remark on his lack of effort in doing anything remotely useful with his life.  
  
Yet then again, they probably still wouldn't care. He was _Dominic_ Howard, the middle child and second son. Nothing was expected of him. He could just waste away and spend his days doing nothing, he had nothing to prove or gain from his actions.  
  
As much as he hated to admit it, Dominic couldn't deny the fact that he'd developed a bit of a chip on his shoulder. He was tired of not standing out to anyone, tired that everyone took him for granted or simply just didn't care. He wanted to be noticed, by someone, just for once in his life- as selfish as it may sound- be the centre of someone's- _anyone's_ \- attention.  
  
One day, sprawled out in his favourite spot on one of the comfy chairs in the library, having just returned from his morning ride in the country side, Dominic was planing on taking a little nap before getting cleaned up for lunch, when he was startled by a loud crashing noise.  
  
Sitting bolt upright, he heard the noise followed up by that of two smaller crashes and the unmistakable sound of someone cursing.  
  
The noises sounded like they were coming from the adjacent room; one of the manor's many living rooms, and, curiosity getting the better of him, Dominic decided to go and investigate.

Upon entering the room, he found old newspapers spread in front of the fireplace, black soot covering it all, including two long brooms and the form of who Dominic assumed must be the chimney sweep, who was busy holding his leg and cursing profusely, still unawares of his new company.  
  
"Excuse me, what exactly happened here?" Dominic asked, causing the poor chimney sweep to practically leap into the air, all thoughts of his hurt leg forgotten.  
  
"Um, uh, I-I, uh, it-it, it was an accident, I'm so sorry, sir. Please, forgive me, I didn't mean to do it, honest," the boy begged, looking down at his filthy, blackened feet.  
  
Dominic surveyed the mess, but then was brought back to the frightened looking sweep, eyes still trained on his own toes. 'Sir', Dominic had always found the title grating and annoying, but for some reason it didn't have the same effect on him coming from this boy. Quite the contrary really.  
  
"Kindly look at me when you address me, please...?"  
  
"M-Ma-Matthew, sir. My name's Matthew," the boy said, his speech still speeding a mile a minute, but this time he had the proper manors to look up at his social superior.  
  
His eyes. So blue, so liquid and deep, in stark contrast with the rest of his blackened face. A face that, even so covered in dirt, Dominic could tell was more mature than he'd thought, the boy's voice too lacked the weakness of most young boys, he was also not that short, though indeed still rather scrawny.  
  
"How old are you, Matthew?" Dominic asked, looking over the boy once more. He definitely didn't recognise him, he must be new.  
  
"S-Sixteen, sir," Matthew replied, running his blackened fingers through his filthy, pitch hair that was spiking all over the place.  
  
"Sixteen... That's a bit old for a chimney sweep, is it not?" Dominic asked, his suspicions confirmed. It definitely was unusual for someone already having reached manhood to be a sweep.  
  
"Uh, yes. Yes it usually is, but I'm small enough and my family needs the money," Matthew admitted, eyes desperately trying not to return to his feet. The young master's intense gaze making him squirm. He wasn't used to the attention, and especially not from someone of a much higher class than himself.  
  
"Oh," was all Dominic could think to reply.  
  
Matthew just simply nodded and went to pick up his brooms, only to stumble and fall on his hurt left leg, face screwing up in pain as he did his best to hold back a curse. Something Dominic couldn't help but notice.  
  
"Whoa, easy there, are you alright?" he asked, rushing over to help the boy up, not even the slightest bit concerned for his riding clothes.  
  
"I-I'm fine, don't worry," Matthew said through clenched teeth, only for the blonde to reach down and help pull him up anyway, startling the boy.  
  
Why would he risk ruining his clothing and help out him, a mere servant?  
  
Not sure what to do with himself, Matthew's body went ridged as Dominic held him up, eyes widening as he couldn't help but spot all the newly transferred black marks on the young master's clothing.  
  
"I-I'm so sorry, your clothing. Please, you can take the costs from my pay, I'm so sorry," he rushed saying, trying to wipe at a spot on Dominic's sleeve, only to realise that his blacked hands were only making it worse. "Oh no, oh no, oh no. I didn't mean to!"  
  
"Relax, it's fine," Dominic laughed, stopping his frantic wiping and fretting, by taking his blackened hands in his own, previously spotless, tanned ones. "It is an old shirt and like you said before, your family needs the money. Mine certainly does not and I can always just buy myself a new one."  
  
The boy was staring intensely at the now thoroughly ruined shirt, liquid-blue eyes wide and nervous, not appeased by Dominic's reassurances. Unable to help himself and desperate for a better look at those stunning eyes again, Dominic, still holding the boy's filthy hands with one of his own, brought his left up to tilt his chin, forcing Matthew to look up at him.  
  
Their eyes locked, intense blue with calming grey.  
  
"Matthew, relax, there are more important things to worry about, like your leg. How is it, will you let me take a look?"  
  
Startled and disorientated further by the master's caring and concerned voice, Matthew simply nodded back wordlessly, Dominic's hand still firmly holding his chin.  
  
"Come, let's first sit you down," Dominic suggested and tried to lead him towards one of the couches pushed up away from the fireplace, but Matthew was having none of it.  
  
"No, no, I'll just ruin the furniture too. I'm too dirty, it's fine, I'll be okay. Don't worry," he attempted and tried to step away from Dominic, only to stumble again on his bad leg. "Fuck," he gasped, unable to stop himself this time, as it painfully gave way, but Dominic was quicker and managed to catch him before he made contact with the hard, soot covered, ground.  
  
"Got you," he smiled, looking down at the skinny boy in his arms, who was now trying to apologise desperately for his slip of tongue. "Hush, relax. Don't worry about it, I've heard much worse. Heck I've even said much worse!" Dominic laughed, reluctantly letting go of Matthew as he helped him back on his feet.  
  
"-but I shouldn't have, it's inexcusable. I'm so sorry, sir! I'll wash out my mouth with soap, please, I'm sorry," the boy continued to beg regardless.  
  
"No, no, no there's no need for that," Dominic laughed, although deep down couldn't help worrying about what sort of people Matthew had worked for in the past, to be so overly apologetic for everything. "Though, perhaps a bath is in order, then I could have a better look at your leg? My friend back in Oxford was studying medicine and taught me a few things. Who knows, maybe I can even help?"  
  
Matthew's eyes just widened even further. "No, I couldn't waste your time like that. It'll be fine. I need to finish up anyway and clean, before the sun goes down."  
  
"You know it's only about 12 o'clock right?" Dominic asked, smiling sadly at him as he tried to collect up his brooms again, carefully limping with his leg.  
  
"Exactly, I haven't finished here and still have two more chimneys to do and with my leg acting like this it'll take even longer," Matthew explained, limping over to the fireplace again.  
  
"Are you mad, you can't possibly clean them with your leg like this!" Dominic pointed out and went over to snatch the brooms away. A task he found worryingly easy.  
  
"Oi, I need those!" Matthew exclaimed. "Please, sir. I can't afford not to clean them, and I've worked with far worse injuries. Like I said, I'm fine." Dominic just held them up high and out of his reach though, Matthew unable to jump on his leg.  
  
"It's fine, I'll call for someone else to clean them and I'll make sure you both get paid," Dominic insisted, shocking the poor soot-covered boy yet again. "Besides, I simply refuse for you to work in such a state and insist you allow me to help you."  
  
Knowing his place, despite his reluctance, Matthew simply nodded and conceded. He had no say at the end of the day. He was not his own man, people like the young master had all the power and say.  
  
"Good," Dominic grinned victoriously. "Now, let's get you cleaned up and I can give your leg a good examination."  
  
"Mrs Evelyn won't approve of me walking through her spotless house, she said I had to wait for her to bring more papers for me to walk on, so as not to spoil the floors," Matthew said, eyes now trained once more on his less than spotless feet.  
  
"Nonsense, it is my house, and if I say it is alright, it is. Besides, one of the bathrooms is nearby, so we shouldn't soil too much." Once more Matthew was struck with complete and utter shock, surely the master didn't just suggest using one of his bathrooms to clean him off?  
  
"Um, uh, sir. I cannot use your facilities, I'm merely one of the servants. I'm also incredibly filthy..."  
  
"Pish-posh," Dominic dismissed. "Yet again I say it, it is my house. When my father and brother are not about I am the authority here and what I say goes. And I say- no I insist- you use our facilities."  
  
"You are too kind, I don't deserve your kindness. This is all my fault, I'm so sor-"  
  
"No, no, enough of that please. Just do what I say for once and stop being so damn apologetic. Is that understood?" Dominic asked, having interrupted the latest string of apologies.  
  
Silenced, Matthew simply nodded, his hands fidgeting away with the ratted hem of his filthy shirt.  
  
"You'll also need to borrow some clothes," Dominic said, taking in the boy's wanting apparel and raising an eyebrow in warning when he saw Matthew's mouth open to argue. He instantly shut it and simply nodded.  
  
"Thank you, sir," Matthew said, bringing his gaze up to the taller man. "You really are-"  
  
"Ah-uh, what did I say?" Dominic smiled, shaking his head. "I believe I also have a solution to saving the floors, while helping you out with your leg: I shall simply just carry you over. You definitely don't look too heavy," he said, taking in the slight boy's skinny frame again.  
  
Biting his lip, Matthew simply nodded. Defeated even before he had began, while Dominic strode over and scooped him up easily enough.  
  
"You really aren't very heavy at all!" he exclaimed, carrying Matthew out of the room and down the hall toward the nearest bathroom, Matthew just kept quiet and stayed rigid the entire time, until they reached their destination.  
  
"Well here we are!" Dominic declared, knocking the door open with his hip and placing Matthew gently down on the marble flooring of the bathroom.  
  
Taking in the luxurious room and overcome by its extravagant furnishings, Matthew's eyes practically bugged out of his soot smeared face.  
  
"Wow," was all he could say, trying his best to properly take it all in, unable to believe his pretty blue eyes.  
  
"Indeed, a bit over the top, but then that's Mother," Dominic shrugged. "Well I trust you know how to run a bath?"  
  
"Um...what you call a bath and what I call a bath are completely different things, sir," Matthew said, eyes fixed on the massive white tub, complete with golden lion feet. "I've only ever known a steel tub of sorts...I fill it with buckets from our only faucet, but I should manage..."  
  
"Seriously? Wow, okay then..." Dominic thought shaking his head, unable to grasp the idea. "Well then you run it so long and I'll go find some of my old clothes for you."  
  
"You really don't ha-"  
  
"Oi, what did I say?" Dominic warned as he left, but couldn't help smiling at Matthew as he nodded in apology.  


  
  
When Dominic returned with a set of old clothes and a fluffy towel, the likes of which Matthew had never had the privilege of using in all his 16 years, he found Matthew singing softly to himself as he tested the temperature of the half filled tub. Black clouds ghosting around his hand in the water, where the soot washed off.  
  
"You know you could've filled the thing," Dominic said, taking the boy by surprise for the second time that day.  
  
"Oh, sorry!" Matthew gasped, jumping up, only to apologise again for apologising, making Dominic laugh as he put down the things for Matthew.  
  
"That was very pretty by the way, you have a lovely voice of what I could hear," Dominic commented, noticing how Matthew's cheeks flushed at the compliment. "What was that?"  
  
"Thank you, if you say so, sir. Um, uh, just something my mother always used to sing to me when I was small and it was bath time...It was silly, sorry," Matthew replied, eyes trained on some of the marks his dirty feet had left on the white marble floors.  
  
"No, it wasn't. And what will it take to get you to stop apologising for everything?" Dominic asked, shaking his head at the boy, who managed just in time to stop himself for apologising again. "Anyway, here are some clothes for you, they may be a bit big, but they were all I could find. I also brought a towel, feel free to use everything here, I insist."  
  
And before the boy could protest or apologise again, Dominic left him to his business.  
  


  
Dominic decided to wait for Matthew with a book in the passage to help pass the time, smiling when, after awhile, he could hear the boy's sweet voice float gently through the closed door.  
  
He was just finishing a page when the turning of the bathroom's door handle caught his attention and he looked up to see a practically unrecognisable Matthew appear.  
  
"Matthew!"  
  
Instead of the scrawny creature, blackened with filth and dressed in tattered rags, face completely smeared; appeared nothing short of an angel to Dominic's eyes. Matthew came out uncertain, his beautiful porcelain skin now visible, dark hair drying fluffily in the cutest of ways and, despite the clothes being too large for him, they helped show off his slender frame in a more flattering way. His blue eyes seemingly even brighter and shinier than before.  
  
"Thank you, sir. I tried to clean the bathroom as best as I could, but there was only so much I could do. I'm so sor-"  
  
"Relax, it's fine. Mrs Evelyn can always get one of the maids to clean up. For now just let me assess your leg?"  
  
Matthew just nodded and looked around.

"I can do it just here, um, so can I roll up your trouser leg?" Dominic asked cautiously, crouching down by the boy and making him feel incredibly awkward. A master should not be getting on his knees in front of a servant boy. Again he just nodded.  
  
"Okay, let's see what we have here..." Dominic said, rolling up the trouser leg, revealing the boy's skinny leg and making Matt go stiff as a board. "It is your knee, correct?"  
  
"Uh, yes. Really, you shouldn't worry, it is not so bad, I think I just bruised it again," Matthew attempted, but had to bite back a curse when Dominic poked the angry bluey-purple blemishing the otherwise pure-white skin of his knee.  
  
"Nonsense, look at this bruise! And by the sounds of it you may have twisted it too...We definitely can't have you back up those chimneys!" Dominic insisted, reluctantly removing his hands from the finely haired and silky-smooth skin of the boy's leg.  
  
"But I must! I can't afford not to!" Matthew said, insisting upon rolling down the trouser leg himself. He most certainly could not have the master waiting on him anymore.  
  
"At least take a break for today and probably the next two too. Anyway, we just got you nicely cleaned up, over my dead body will you be getting dirtied up again!" Dominic pointed out, and after lots of insisting on his part and apologies and apologies for apologising from the boy, he finally got Matthew to agree to going home to rest.  
  
It was with a heavy heart that he watched Matthew limp away to the neighbouring lands, where Matthew had said his mother worked as a cook. Dominic would've liked to have gotten the chauffeur to drive him back, but he knew the poor boy would probably self-destruct at even the mere idea.  
  
Matthew... Dominic didn't even know the boy's surname, but he knew he'd be spending the next few nights dreaming only of those beautiful liquid-blue eyes and hoping he'd see him again soon...


	2. Chapter 2

It was three days later exactly, when Dominic heard some commotion downstairs. The sound of Mrs Evelyn's raised voice and that of a softer, familiarly apologetic undertone.  
  
Not believing his luck, Dominic ran down the stairs and landed smack in the middle of what appeared to be Mrs Evelyn telling off the chimney sweep.  
  
"...and the mess! You left poor Isabel and Elizabeth to clean up after you, not only in the cream living room, but also in the fourth upstairs bathroom! Have you no sense, boy?!"  
  
Through the rant, Matthew just stared down at his feet apologetically, a trait Dominic was quickly beginning to associate with the skinny boy. He was pleased however to see that he still appeared to be fairly clean, although he was wearing an old set of what must be some of his own clothes, a neat bundle tucked under his one arm.  
  
"Mrs Evelyn?" Dominic asked suddenly, interrupting the middle-aged woman mid rant and startling both servants.  
  
"Master Howard! I did not see you there," she exclaimed, hand over her heart, trying to catch her breath. Matthew simply remained with his eyes trained on his feet.  
  
"Well yes, I am. So, what exactly is going on here, may I ask why you are scolding this young man?" Dominic asked, looking back at Matthew and catching sight of his eyes, just before they hastily returned to the boy's feet.  
  
"He made an awfully dreadful mess at the beginning of the week and simply helped himself to the household facilities! But do not worry, I was just about to dismiss him from any future work with your fine family he-"  
  
"Excuse me?!" Dominic asked, cutting her off rather rudely, but aggravated by her attitude. How dare she? How dare she try get rid of one of the best things that had happened at the dull manor since he'd returned from Oxford?! "But Matthew here did so all at my insistence and under my permission. He simply had an accident and I wanted him to clean up so I could see if he required a doctor. What gives you the right to dismiss him? Have you been left in charge of the estate?"  
  
The poor housekeeper just looked back at him, completely surprised by the usually very pleasant and quiet young man's sudden outburst.  
  
"I-I, I'm sorry, Master Howard, please forgive me. I had no idea."  
  
"It is fine, Mrs Evelyn. Just please, in future, run everything by me first. It would appear the poor boy has just returned to give me back my old clothing." At this the young master returned his gaze to Matthew, coughing to gain the boy's attention. "Matthew, why don't you come with me, hmm?"  
  
And so, without another glance at Mrs Evelyn, Matthew followed Dominic up the stairs and off, further into the house, neither making any attempt at conversation, until they reached the library.  
  
"Thank you for returning the clothes, but you know you didn't really have to and I'd also have thought you'd have taken at least another day's rest," Dominic began, accepting the offered bundle of newly washed clothing.  
  
"I'm surprised my mother even let me take the days I did take. When she saw me arrive home all clean and dressed up in expensive clothing, I thought she was about to explode she was so angry. She wanted me to come straight back and return it all and beg for you to let me clean the chimneys, until she saw I could barely walk to bed..."  
  
"Oh, that's awful, I hope she is no longer so angry. Surely she understands that none of it was any fault of your own?" Dominic asked, sitting back in his favourite chair, looking up at the slim boy before him.  
  
"Well that's the problem. I'm forever making mistakes and am far too clumsy for my own good, in the past I've ruined many a job opportunity. My only saving grace is the fact that I don't seem to be growing much and am still small enough for the job..." Matthew replied, long, pale fingers fiddling with his torn right sleeve. "And my leg is much better anyway..."  
  
"Oh, I see... Well, I won't have you up in those chimneys again, it's clearly far too dangerous for you and quite frankly you probably are even a little too tall for them now. So what are we gonna do with you?" Dominic wondered, fingers steepling under his chin.  
  
"Well, sir, I must work. Anything, you've got, I'll take it. If that's asking too much I can always look elsewhere. I already feel I've burdened you more than I have the right to," Matthew said, looking up from his shoes, into Dominic's eyes for the first time that day.  
  
"Hmm..." Dominic began to think, desperate for a reason- any reason- for why the boy should stay. "Um, why don't you...help sort out my books? I'm far too lazy and just leave the damned things lying about. "How about you help put them back in their places?"  
  
"Um, uh..." Matthew tried, his cheeks flaming a powerful pink in embarrassment. "I-I, uh, I c-can't really read, sir..."  
  
Dominic could have hit himself over the head. Of course the boy could barely read! He hadn't been born into a privileged family and sent off to school. The poor boy, and now Dominic had gone and embarrassed him!  
  
"Oh, I-I, gosh, I'm so sorry, how silly of me!" Dominic burst out, this time he was playing the role of the over apologetic one, causing Matthew to apologise for making him apologise and not being able to read.  
  
"It is fine. I can look for work elsewhere, I'm just sorry to have been such a nuisance to you and your household," Matthew apologised and attempted to turn and walk out the room, only for Dominic to grab his arm.  
  
"Wait, hold on. You can still help pack the books, I'll just point in the general direction of where they ought to be. Then, well then we can find you a proper job around here. Ideally, I'd have had you as my manservant, but I already have Thomas for that..." Dominic said thoughtfully, hesitantly letting go of the boy's arm.  
  
  
  
They quickly then managed to settle into a good rhythm of sorting the books and then putting them away. Well, Matthew put them away, while Dominic pretended to be sorting through one of the piles, while actually really observing closely how Matthew's body would stretch and his fine muscles would extended as he put away the books on the high and low shelves. His best was when the books needed to go on one of the higher shelves and Matthew would have to stretch or use the ladder to reach over and put them away, ensuring that his tattered shirt would rise and expose a bit of the pale skin beneath. Suddenly most of the books were from higher shelves, their correct ordering be damned.  
  
It got to a point however, when Dominic could no longer just gaze on at the fine specimen before him, and before he realised what he was doing, he was calling the boy over.  
  
"Yes, sir?" Matthew asked, approaching Dominic, who stood by a pile of books.  
  
Without a word however Dominic just strode up to him and, before he could see reason and talk himself out of it, he lent down and brought his lips to those of the startled boy.  
  
When their lips met, Dominic was amazed by the softness of Matthew's thin lips and the instant warmth he felt at the sensation of finally getting a taste of them, but all too soon he knew it had to come to an end, and he also couldn't help but notice how dead still the chimney sweep had become.  
  
Pulling away and opening his eyes, he was met with Matthew's wide crystal-blue ones. He couldn't for the life of him read what he saw in those eyes, but as soon as he'd released the boy, Matthew turned around and ran. He ran straight out of the library and off to find the exit, to get away, to try and run from what had just happened, not even attempting to look back, his leg evidently much better indeed.  
  
Dominic yelled with frustration and mutual embarrassment at the fact he couldn't control himself and had now, no doubt, ruined it all.  
  
He didn't fear the boy telling anyone about what he'd just done. No, no one would believe him and anyway, there was no way the boy would inform anyone about what had happened. Dominic was safe, but that was not what concerned him most.  
  
He'd made a complete fool of himself in front of the one person he'd finally found that genuinely looked up to him. Not just because his father and brother were out, but someone who'd appeared to actually hold him up on his own. And what had he gone and done, but just ruin it all?  
  
With a sad and heavy sigh, Dominic collapsed into his favourite chair, it would take a whole lot more than a good book or nap in his special chair, to cheer him up. He had to think of a way to make it all up. He had to find a way to gain Matthew's forgiveness.  
  
Who knew? Maybe it wasn't still too late to build back up all he'd had going with the boy?


End file.
